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Hope turned back to Baxter. “Could I use your restroom? I’d like to change before we leave.”
“Of course! Follow me.”
Alex grabbed a pair of board shorts out of his backpack and followed them back into the restaurant.
Locking the bathroom door, Hope changed into her bikini, smiling at herself in the mirror. While waiting for her flight to St. Croix at O’Hare airport in March, she’d entered a swimwear shop and purchased a black string bikini and matching fishnet cover-up. At the time, she’d been self-conscious and embarrassed just buying it but determined to make a new start.
Now she inspected her reflection, proud of her transformation, both inner and outer.
She stood tall and straight, wearing the bikini with confidence. It showed every curve of her toned body and full breasts. She’d never worn the bikini but had decided to pack it today, realizing its time had come. Still, the fishnet cover-up was pushing it a bit far, so she brought out the spare she’d carried, black with a gold crescent moon and stars printed on the front. She slipped back into her flip-flops and left the restaurant.
As she climbed aboard, Alex was already behind the wheel in the elevated bridge. The roomy lower deck had a large covered forward section for divers to get out of the weather if needed. Plastic tank holders were installed in the open-air section toward the stern, in front of the dive platform with its twin ladders.
Hope climbed to the wheelhouse and stood next to Alex. “I just renewed your Coast Guard captain’s license, Mr. Monroe, so I know I’m in excellent hands today.”
“Pretty sure I can get us back without getting lost. Not one-hundred percent, but pretty sure.”
“Well, we can always call the Coast Guard if we need to.”
Alex flinched, then laughed. “Absolutely not. Once in a lifetime was plenty for me.” He drew her in for a quick kiss. Hope’s heart sped up. She flashed back to that evening on his deck, the feel of his back muscles under her hands and the taste of his mouth. She took a deep breath and sat on the padded bench next to him.
Baxter threw the lines into the boat, and Alex started the engine, working them sideways away from the dock. He glanced at Hope before turning to the front again. “It’ll take us about an hour to get out of the lee of St. Thomas, so the first hour should be pretty nice. Then we hit the open channel. The islet I mentioned isn’t too far away after we cross the channel, and the resort is forty-five minutes from there. All told, I’d guess we’ll be back early afternoon—one or two o’clock.”
Hope spied the large fiberglass area at the bow beneath where they presently stood. It looked very inviting. “You mind if I get some sun on that deck?”
“Not at all. Improves the view substantially.”
She descended the ladder. After applying sunscreen, she reached for her towel and made her way out to the sundeck. The morning sun was soft and warm, and white puffy clouds danced across the sky. Hope waved to Alex, then spread out her towel and sat down on it with her arms hugging her knees.
They had left the canal behind and were in the open ocean now. The blue water was nearly flat, and Alex throttled up to full speed. She breathed in the fresh, salty air, smiling at the freedom of it. Hope removed her cover-up and lay down on her back, escaping the wind. Wearing sunglasses, she could watch Alex without fear of being caught looking. He wore a baseball hat turned around backward and sunglasses. His shirt was off, and he stood in an easy, relaxed posture.
He was also staring right at her.
With a contented smile, Hope lifted her arms above her head, stretching her legs out. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to the gentle motion of the boat.
Hope awoke to the sudden decrease in volume as Alex throttled down and put the boat in neutral. “What’s wrong? Why are we stopping?”
“Nothing’s wrong. But you should probably get off the bow. We’re about to head into the channel, and if you stay up there, you’re gonna get soaked.”
“Really? Ok.” She looked around as she put her cover-up back on, noting the whitecaps further out. Hope made her way to the half-covered main deck where Alex was securing items.
They climbed the ladder to the bridge. There was a long, padded bench seat behind the wheel and console. Hope sat down as Alex pushed the throttle forward, and they were underway once again.
Five minutes later, she experienced the first big dip as they hit a trough. He throttled down as they rose over the next wave, then up again on the far side to the new trough. Their speed was much slower than before. Hope opened her eyes wide as a wave crashed over the bow, completely covering where she had sunbathed minutes before.
They continued like this until a big wave sent them airborne, only to slam down into the trough. Hope bounced up from the bench with a loud “Oof!” as Alex whooped and laughed out loud. His excitement was infectious, and she laughed too.
She was thoroughly enjoying herself, but after thirty more minutes, her butt was getting sore from all the bumps. Hope turned to Alex, who was still grinning like a lunatic. “Are you sure this is safe? It’s rough out here.”
“No, this isn’t rough. This is great!” He looked at her and became more serious. “It’s ok, Hope—we’re fine. This is calmer than I expected.”
“Wow. Ok.”
“I did warn you, you know.”
“Yes. Yes, you did. At least I’m not getting seasick.” They continued for another hour. After the euphoria wore off, Alex got more serious, piloting the boat with skill.
Over two hours after they had entered the channel, the waves were decreasing, and land was ahead. “Is that St. Croix?”
